CA worker guilty of playing cards inside office

CEBU, Philippines –  The Supreme Court has found an employee of the appellate court guilty of an administrative case for playing cards within the premises of the office.

 Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe held Ronelo Labar, driver of the Mailing and Delivery Section of the Court of Appeals, Cebu Station, liable for violation of Reasonable Office Rules and Regulations and Gambling Prohibited by Law.

 “Wherefore, respondent Labar is found guilty of violation of Reasonable Office Rules and Regulations and Gambling Prohibited by Law under Section 52 (C) (3) and (5), respectively, of Rule IV of the Revised Uniform Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service,” read the resolution.

 Bernabe has reprimanded Labar with a warning that repetition of same act in the future shall be dealt with more severely.

 Teresita Marigomen, clerk of court of the Court of Appeals in Manila, alleged that there was a complaint filed by lawyer Lucila Cad-Enjambre, assistant clerk of court of CA-Cebu charging Labar with violation of the Office Memorandum, as well as the SC Administrative Circular No. 1-99, which prohibits gambling within the court premises.

 Labar was caught playing cards under the staircase located at the back of the office building with two other co-terminus employees of CA-Cebu on January 25, 2012 at around 3:35 p.m.

 Labar admitted to playing cards but justified that he and his companions were already done with their tasks for the day.

 Investigating Justice Gabriel Ingles, chairperson of the Committee on Ethics and Special Concerns of CA-Cebu, formally charged Labar with insubordination pursuant to Section 52 (B) (5), Rule IV of the Revised Uniforms Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service.

 The Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) agreed in toto with the findings and recommendation of Ingles.

 Bernabe, however, disagreed with OCA’s recommendation citing the acts of Labar of loitering in the maintenance section of the premises of CA-Cebu without any official business and without a valid pass slip from the office of the Assistant Clerk of Court and at the same time gambling during office hours do not constitute insubordination. —/ATO (FREEMAN)